Zuppa Toscano With Homemade Italian Sausage

Zuppa Toscano With Homemade Italian Sausage (Serves 10-12)

When I tried this soup at The Olive Garden Restaurant it was love at first bite! I came right home with a take-out order and created a dairy-free version for my family to enjoy. Whenever our kids are feeding friends they request this soup. It’s that good. (Warning: this soup can be habit forming.)

This crumbled sausage is wonderful in soups, lasagna, omelette, quiche and pizza. I cook up several pounds of turkey or chicken sausage at once, then freeze it in 1/2 pound servings for quick meal preparation throughout the year.

1 pound pure ground chicken or turkey

1 Tablespoon honey (+1 teaspoon molasses)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic or onion powder

1/2 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon salt

Thaw meat. Blend ingredients in mixing bowl. Freeze for later use or form into patties and cook in buttered skillet (turkey has insufficient fat to prevent sticking to bottom of pan.) Cook several pounds at once and freeze in 1 cup servings for use on pizza, Italian soups, or quiche.